Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Yes. Following the series, and enjoy it.

Would you be willing to try another book from Mark Tufo? Why or why not?

This is the most undisciplined of the Zombie Fallout series. Too many tangents, too many of them completely irrelevant. Interesting yes, relevant no. Previous books have had tangents at the end, as a postscript, but this had several during the book. Needs a tougher editor - the story is good, the characters entertaining. Will try the next one, because I want to find out what happens and I already have it, but may not continue beyond that if it lacks focus.

Of the Zombie Fallout books I felt this was the weakest, that being said I thoroughly enjoyed it and it kept me waiting for the next installment I would highly recommend the Zombie Fallout series of books if you like Zombies, Vampires and great Characters.

I really wanted to like this whole series more than I did, but I just couldn't get past the badly written, clichéd and rather pathetic female characters, and the too-much-information jokes which saturate this novel. (No pun intended!!) While there is much lost potential and some disappointments, I did find it a fun read and would definitely recommend it to lovers of this genre! I liked the main character, Mike, despite his terrible sense of humour. He is very dry and ironic, which I like.

My biggest gripe with this fifth book in the series was the ending. Not because of what happens, or how it happens, but because it was written with such a massive lacking of emotion. I just found that I couldn't care - not a brilliant way to end a 5-novel series given all the time readers have invested in it! To add insult to injury, after the intended shock at the end of the book, instead of BEING the end, the author chose to go off into one of his flashback rambles which thus took away any real impact that had been there, which really was a shame.

I also have to say ... The cats - probably the grossest thing I've ever read! ;)

this series has been one of my favourite sets of books. the charectors are so memorable and i think every reader would have thier own favorite. with action and sarcastic comedy i could'nt stop listening and cant wait for the next book to come out on here

I would recommend this book, this series, for that matter all of Mark Tufo's books to anyone able to read who has even an ounce of humor in them. The writing is fun, the action is fast, and the wit, well low brow at times, is just plain hilarious as friends attempt to survive the zombie apocalypse while making digs at one another's idiosyncrasies.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Zombie Fallout 5?

As one man scavenges from a long abandoned house, he makes a great find.

Which scene was your favorite?

At the end of the book, retribution for a fallen comrade is dished out to those who deserve it.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I didn't want to go to sleep, put everything else aside, other than my job, and read this.

Any additional comments?

I can't wait for the sixth book in the series.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Teddy

Bronx, NY, United States

16/01/13

Overall

Performance

Story

"Feels like Tufo was Stalling"

I like Mark Tufo and I really do like Zombie Fallout as a series, I really do! But... Zombie Fallout 5: Alive in a Dead World felt like a whole lot of stalling by Mark Tufo. There was some headway made in the general progress of the story of course but the headway that was made was very small where the general plot is concerned.

I've said it before and I'll say it again one of the main reasons that the book series is as enjoyable as it is is of the little quirks that Mike Talbot have and the myriad of interesting characters in the book. Mike's quips with... well anyone and his incredibly short attention span makes it a trip when reading from his portions. Mike's best friend in the book seems downright hopeless to me... Mrs. Deno... She's an... interesting one... I can also add a couple others who I all find fascinating and who brings something to the book.

I must say though that where this book is concerned the author drags his foot along a lot. A big portion of the book's plot are a series of seemingly useless flashbacks (I kid you not, they seem completely and utterly useless to me except for providing some fodder to maybe laugh at). There was also a huge emphasis on Mike growing into his new powers. In the grand scheme of things though, I would say that probably one or two really note worthy things happen in this book (both of which I found just plain gruesome even for a Zombie book... I mean.... I am shocked and not in a good way...). Both occurrences could have been fit in the other book prior to this. And to add insult to injury.... this book more than any other ends in a MASSIVE cliff hanger. I really don't understand how or why Mark Tufo would do that... I was quite disappointed.

The narration was great, Sean Runnette did an awesome job again and aided in me being able to make it through this book.

I will get book 6 as soon as it comes out no doubt, if only to know how everything turns out. The narration is great, the story was lacking if you ask me though but the humor was still very prevalent which made the book enjoyable none the less.

22 of 26 people found this review helpful

Julio S. Guerrero

McAllen, TX

09/02/15

Overall

Performance

Story

"Just can't put them down..."

I am very hesitant wgen purchasing books. Looking into every detail as to not scuander my money or coveted points on a bad purchase. Yet the zombie fallout series has done nothing but tickled my fancy and kept my interest.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

thomas whelchel

08/02/15

Overall

Performance

Story

"awesome"

Great series, love the main character with all of his idiosyncrasies and phobias, that and how the other characters hate to follow but can't help it anyways.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Cody Blair

15/01/15

Overall

Performance

Story

"I love these books"

Sean Runnette makes you feel like he is your best friend, dad, husband or brother. Mark Tufo is a fabulous writer. So smooth and detailed. It really helps you get into the book

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Yvonne

Southfield, mi, United States

19/11/12

Overall

Performance

Story

"You get what you pay for"

This is not a stand alone series. To understand the nuances between the personalities, you must read Zombie 1 - 4. So you have read Z1 - 4, well even a good thing can get a little tired. Most of the series is filled with the Talbot humor. At this point it has gotten, the Talbot banter, "What's the plan Mike, I don't know. I am making it up as I go along" is tired.The love between a husband and wife and bond of friendship means everyone travels together even when impractical. And Tomas, well I was disappointed when they reunited him with his sister and it does not get better. Tomas' character lent a unique aspect and made it more believable (if a vampire story can have believability) but there is very little of him in this book. Much of the book is spent with Mike doing his internal monologue providing you flashbacks.What really burned my underwear.... cliff hanger. Yes, it ended in a cliff hanger.

Mark, you know it is alright to end a series. It is better to end on a high note than to see your fans drop off like flyes.

Hoping that Mark will end the series, I will listen to the 6th Zombie.

13 of 16 people found this review helpful

Kelly Howard

Oregon

11/08/12

Overall

Performance

Story

"Series started mediocre, went downhill"

ZF5 contains several flashbacks of IMMENSE length, showing Michael & his Good Buddy Joel and the Good Times they had. Maybe it's just me, but I found these interludes excruciating: long, long, lonnnggg tales of drunk, stoner pranks and partying. I found myself wondering how good friends they'd be if they actually remembered half of what they did.

Most of what goes for the rest of the Zombie Fallout series goes for #5 as well: 2-D characters, repetitious occurrences, supposedly experienced (by book 5) survivors making stupid mistakes, going off alone (AFTER having a discussion about how stupid horror movie characters are to get separated)...As the series went along, I got the distinct impression that Tufo was taking one or two books & s-s-t-r-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g them out to maximise his bucks for [lack of] our bang. With me, that strategy boomeranged; I won't be wasting my money on him again. Whatever he's gotten from me is already too much.

The characters:

Michael, the wise-cracking, snarky hero. But, he's considerably over the top with the snarky cracks and deficient in the wise.

Tracy, the wife, who mainly is Mondo Witch (she seems serious when, in ZF1, she's ticked off at Michael because he's ruining the resale value of their house as he's trying to zombie-proof it). Occasionally she slips into icky-sweet "Oh darling, I love you forever and ever and ever and I'm always behind you etc etc etc" gag.

BT: the Big Black Dude Sidekick. I actually liked BT, and really, really wished he was given something interesting to do in addition to just being the BBDS. (Interestingly, he seems to be the only African American to survive the apocalypse in any of the books. Hispanics do only slightly better, with one small family. Asians & other groups apparently are right out). BT had no existence & evidently no interests whatsoever outside Michael & his little group.

Henry the dog: He farts. He sleeps. That's basically it. We get lots of paeans to bulldogs & how wonderful they are but no evidence to support this claim. (Hey, now I'm just DYING to get a dog who does nothing but release toxic farts & sleep!!). On more than one occasion Michael has to carry the dog -not up ladders, but just across flat terrain. I wondered if the dog was ancient, but nothing about that was said. Bulldogs are too lazy to walk?! This is news to me.

Basically, I can see someone who really gets off on say, Adam Sandler movies or TV shows like "Workaholics" really liking this series. Unfortunately, I loathe both and wish I'd stopped at ZF1. Why did I keep listening to them? Partly because good zombie/horror books are fairly thin upon the ground & some tiny hopeful part of me kept hoping Tufo would improve (plus, there was a sort of horrified fascination in seeing what words he'd mangle next -see below), partly because I'm laid up a lot & even irritating boredom gives some distraction from pain at times.I can't decide whether I'm more depressed or alarmed by all the 5 star, frothingly enthusiastic reviews here.

And now, a side issue with writing style/vocabulary: what IS it with Tufo & words?! And has an editor ever looked at his manuscripts, an editor with a good vocabulary that is; as in someone who not only knows big words, but knows the actual MEANINGS of the big words? Tufo or whomever (both?) continually, repeatedly, come up with words that sound close to what they actually mean but really aren't at all correct. This drives me crazy enough in an audiobook; in print my head would explode.

Bizarrely enough, Tufo actually used "clowder" correctly in ZF5 (the actual term for a group of cats, like "murder" is the delightful term for a group of crows. But almost nobody knows "clowder"). Yet Tufo comes out with "sometimes fate "intercedes" (mediates, or interposes on behalf of someone in difficulty or trouble) instead of "intervenes" (gets in the way) -fate intervenes, it never, ever intercedes...that's what novenas are for.

As always, people nod their heads "in ascension" ("climb, soar, or rise") instead of (presumably) "in assent" (agreement). This nodding in ascension business goes on repeatedly in every ZF book. Maybe when Tufo's people nod, their heads go down, then up, up, and away.

In ZF3.5 the scientist speaks of identifying something to "species and genome" (genus). In another (I lost track of book #s) someone takes a "controlling" breath before they shoot a gun...perhaps if they took a powerful enough controlling breath they wouldn't have to take a controlled breath in order to accurately shoot. Elsewhere more party crashers arrive than are "interested," not "anticipated." (In my experience people who throw parties --whether pleasant ones, or when the term is used ironically, they aren't interested in any crashers.)

I have many other examples, but unfortunately jotted them down while listening to the books at night by the light of my ipod, & I can't suss them out. However, there are a very many examples of this kind of demi-illiteracy in all 6 of the Zombie Fallout books, and it is maddening. I have no delusions of being omniscient when it comes to vocabulary but that's why God made dictionaries: LOOK IT UP, for zombie's sake!!

One final note on ZF5 *SPOILER ALERT!**SPOILER ALERT!**SPOILER ALERT!**SPOILER ALERT!**SPOILER ALERT!**SPOILER ALERT!**SPOILER ALERT!**SPOILER ALERT!*I mean it, I'm about to reveal something about the end. Stop reading NOW if you don't want to know about an end part.

Really: stop.****************************************

And then there's Joel. I think I was supposed to feel fond of the schlub, particularly since Tufo kept him around a while despite his being woefully incapable....I mean, it's sort of surprising he managed to make it to the grocery store & back even before the apocalypse. The way the guy is taken out is just gratuitously horrible even for someone in a zombie apocalypse. I found it a bit startling, as if Tufo was nursing some deep personal hatred for the mope (and for cats) & was as vicious as possible to them. That was actually the most disturbing part of the whole series for me. I mean, gruesome killings are all very fine in a zombie book --heck, they're required-- but sheesh....

18 of 23 people found this review helpful

Tilo

CHITTENANGO, NY, United States

24/08/12

Overall

Performance

Story

"Its alright, wish it was better though"

He's trying to tone down the joke on every other line a bit, but sometimes there are extended relapses. Then there are the long flashback and other babble that have nothing to do with the story at hand.

Other than that not much different from the other books.

As usual, there are plenty of "what are they doing that!" moments and deaths are handled really weird by this author. That Brian, jeez! His incompetence was driving me nuts and the way it turned out, are you kidding me?!

Well, I'm still gonna read any other book in the series just because I love zombie books, but I actually don't think this author is really into the genre himself.

6 of 8 people found this review helpful

Professor

United States

25/07/12

Overall

Performance

Story

"Cliff hanger, Again!"

finally book 5, and what do we get:We get some hints about alternate realitiesWe get some stupid, completely unforseen actions We get some facts which contradict the established rules of ZF UniverseWe get cliff hanger

I've no idea what we will have next!

16 of 23 people found this review helpful

Jason M. Peverly

NY

06/01/15

Overall

Performance

Story

"Still amazing"

Can't get enough of the Talbot clan! The narrator is amazing with the voices. Especially BT.

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